


Let it rain

by Donthavesexwithsam



Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: F/M, i am trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 05:15:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6316087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donthavesexwithsam/pseuds/Donthavesexwithsam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a hike in the mountains, Alex and Doctor Strand are surprised by a heavy storm, and forced to spend the night in an abandoned shack. Alone. Together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let it rain

**Author's Note:**

> Got this prompt from eleanor-3, who's made this post: http://eleanor-3.tumblr.com/post/141309866007/stragan-prompts-the-way-you-said-i-love-you. Go check it out!

It had been clear when they went up in the mountains. There had reportedly been a ‘haunting’ in an abandoned cabin in a national park, a three hour hike away from the nearest road. Two hikers had stayed the night said they had heard voices outside, loud and clear, discussing whether they should head on or stay for the night. When one of the hikers went out, there was no one there.

Through the night the voices kept coming and going, appearing to be inside the shack at one moment too, but they never saw anyone. Then, right before dawn they were startled by a loud cry, a shriek for help. When they rushed outside, the word ‘LEAVE’ had been carved into the door.

Alex wanted to let this one go. It didn’t sound very interesting and was probably the work of some childish pranksters, but Strand wanted to check it out.

And if Strand wanted to personally go look at something, it must be very interesting.

They set a date, laced their boots and went on the three hour hike. Strand was athletic for his age, and walked with a strong, determined step. Alex, who was much smaller had to run sometimes to keep up with him. Sometimes they talked, but mostly they were quiet, enjoying the nature around them. Alex had always quite liked hiking, and the weather was amazing, so she was actually having a good time.

“I’m a little worried about the weather,” Strand said, looking up at the sky. He’d come back to his senses a little, but still hadn’t started grooming his beard.

Alex liked it, it gave him a rogue, weathered look.

“The sky is as blue as it can be!” Alex frowned. “What could go wrong?”

“A sky like this can turn black as ink in ten minutes.” Strand shook his head. “Maybe we should turn around.”

Alex checked her GPS. “We’re a little over half an hour away, so honestly, we could better head there. The shack could provide shelter might it turn sour.”

“We’re not prepared for staying long.” Strand said, matter-of-factly.

“We’ll be fine,” Alex said. “Worst case scenario we’ll have to stay the night. We’re dressed warm and have enough food to make it through. It won’t be comfortable, but we’ll live.” She shrugged. “And maybe it won’t even start raining.”

She was very much wrong. Ten minutes later, it started dripping, and the sky turned darker and darker as the rainfall became heavier. Covering their heads with their backpacks, they ran the last one-hundred meters to the shack through rainfall so heavy they could barely look two feet in front of them. Alex tripped, cutting herself on a bush.

“Holy shit.” Alex breathed, slamming the door behind Strand.

It sounded bad outside, the rain slammed on the roof and thunder rumbled in the distance, growing stronger by the second.

“God dammit,” Alex swore, as she shed her coat.

“What’s wrong?” Strand asked.

“The GPS.” She clarified. “It’s not working anymore.”

“Let it dry,” Strand said. He started peeling off layers too, dropping them on the concrete floor. He looked at Alex. "You're bleeding."

Alex checked her arm. "We should wrap that up," she said.

The cuts were deep, but clean. They didn't need stitches, and Strand cleaned and dressed them quickly. His hands were soft, the hands of a man who doesn't do much heavy labor, and he was very careful, trying to be as gentle as he could.

They both had started to shiver now that they were sitting still in their wet clothes, and Strand looked around the shack. “We should make a fire. Warm up a little.”

Alex nodded. “There’s a box of matches in my backpack.” She started digging through, pulling out drowned sandwiches and damp clothes. “Damn. Everything is wet.”

“Looks like we’re staying for the night,” Strand sighed.

“I didn’t bring my toothbrush,” Alex pulled a face.

Strand chuckled softly, gathering some wood from the pile of pre-chopped trunks, and started building a pyramid.

“You’re fast,” Alex stated. He’d been at it for only a minute or two, but there was already a tiny little flame licking at the wood.

“I’ve picked up a few skills at the boy scouts,” Strand shrugged.

Alex laughed out loud. “You were a boy scout?”

“A very enthusiastic one,” Strand said, a smile playing around his lips.

“I never would have guessed.” Alex wrung out her hair and fished a brush out of her backpack.

They settled in, as good as they could, in front of the fire, with their backs to the opposite wall. The fire was blazing hot and they had to take a little distance not to burn themselves, but it dried their clothes really fast.

“I managed to salvage one pack of dry crackers.” Alex held it up. “It’s not much, but we won’t die.”

“I’m more concerned about our water supply.” Strand said. “I haven’t seen much streams on our way here and I only have half a bottle left. If tomorrow is as warm as today, that could pose a serious threat.”

“Don’t worry,” Alex said, reassuringly. “We’ll be fine.”

“Of course.”

They talked for a while, about the black tapes cases, and about the cabin. “I think that it was just someone playing a prank,” Strand concluded.

“Then why did you want to head out here?” Alex asked, frowning.

“To be sure,” Strand replied. “There are some cases in which the animals around a shack like this have taught themselves to spook the guests. Usually there’s hunters in here, and they must have realized that making weird noises scared people off.”

“But the hikers spoke of clear voices,” Alex retorted.

“Apo-” Strand started, but Alex cut him off.

“Of voices? Clear conversation?” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“They were tired, the wind was howling, they were scared,” Strand said. “They could’ve easily imagined it.”

“And the word in the door?” Alex asked.

“It was raining really hard when they sought shelter here. So the word could have already been carved in there, but they just didn’t notice.”

Alex let it go. There were no noises now, just the rain smashing down, and the thunder rumbling in the background. It sounded like a roar, but there was no pause, one thunderbolt crashed over into another seamlessly, without a moment’s rest.

Alex yawned.

“Lie down,” Strand said, moving his hand from his lap. “Sleep for a while,”

Alex didn’t mention her insomnia. She was cold, tired and could really use some comfort, so she pulled her coat over her side as a blanket and put her head in the doctor’s lap.

He put his hand on her shoulder, and leaned back. They stayed like that, unmoving, quiet. Just the sounds of their breaths on a background of rain.

Alex’s breathing slowed after a while, and Strand looked to check if she was asleep.

“Alex?” He asked, softly.

She didn’t respond.

He sighed, brushing her hair with his fingertips, plucking some dirt from it.

“I wanted to go because I like spending time with you,” He said. He hadn’t been willing to admit it, not even to himself. The words were burning on his lips, tumbling out of his mouth like a waterfall.

“I think I love you,”


End file.
